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Former Michigan.com worker accused of embezzlement

A former employee of Michigan.com, which runs business operations for the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News, is accused of embezzling roughly $500,000, according to police.

The 48-year-old longtime employee — who the Free Press is not naming because she has not been charged — was accused of stealing the money over the past several years, according to police.

Detroit police Detective Michael Pacteles, the officer in charge of the case, said the woman is accused of taking money owed to freelancers, putting it on prepaid debit cards and then paying the freelancers from different accounts. He said she was caught after a freelancer complained that they weren’t paid, the company looked into it and found discrepancies.

Pacteles said police executed a search warrant at the Michigan.com offices on Thursday. He said the company plans to have experts examine computers the woman used, then turn over their findings to him.

Alan Lenhoff, director of project management and corporate communications for Michigan.com, said on Thursday that the woman had worked for the finance department, but “she no longer works for the company.”